Policy Review

An examination of recent policy and regulatory initiatives

• Autonomous Bus Trials in Europe: FABULOS project

  October 1, 2020
  Europe is paving the way for deployment of autonomous technology in public transportation.

• TEN-T Programme: Project delays and funding challenges

  September 1, 2020
  The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) policy addresses the implementation and development of a Europe-wide network of railway lines, roads, inland waterways, maritime shipping routes, ports, airports, and railroad terminals.

• Investment in Public Transport: A stimulus for economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 period

  August 1, 2020
  Governments across the world are advancing emergency aid and stimulus packages in response to the current health and economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Recovery of public transport from the effects of COVID-19: Using AI for optimising operations while ensuring safety

  July 1, 2020
  Public transport is beginning to regainmomentum and resume operations as cities transition towards the new normal.

• 5G for Mass Transit: Towards digitalised railways in Europe

  June 1, 2020
  Across Europe, there is increasing emphasis on developing and implementing fully digitalised railways that will be based on state-of-the-art radio communication systems and will operate in an ecosystem where intelligent rolling stock will be able to continuously exchange data with responsive traffic management systems to optimise capacity in real time.

• Reopening Transit Systems: Post-COVID-19 pandemic measures and strategies for resuming operations

  May 1, 2020
  Efficient, reliable, cost-effective, and flexible mass transit is critical inenabling the movement of both essential goods and people during an emergency—like the current Covid-19 pandemic—as well as in supporting cities to regain control of the situation quickly.

• The CARES Act, 2020, US: Funding of USD25 billion for transit agencies to respond to COVID-19

  April 1, 2020
  On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted into law.

• National Transport Strategy, Scotland: Spotlight on new fuels, electrification and predictive maintenance

  March 1, 2020
  In February 2020, Scotland unveiled its 20-year National Transport Strategy.

• Italy’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Mobility: EUR3.7 billion investment planned in the next 15 years

  February 1, 2020
  In April 2019, Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport adopted the National Strategic Plan for sustainable mobility.

• Penang Transport Master Plan, Malaysia: Opportunities in public transport development in 2020

  January 1, 2020
  The state government of Penang has drafted the Penang Transport Master Plan, a blueprint to develop a modern, integrated public transport system in the state.

• MiMovilidad: Improving bus and light rail services in Guadalajara, Mexico

  December 1, 2019
  The state government of Jalisco in Mexico has launched the MiMovilidad plan to create a safe, integrated public transport system in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area.

• Taking the Lead: Lisbon introduces sustainable transport strategies and initiatives

  November 1, 2019
  Lisbon, winner of the European Green Capital Award, 2020, is emerging as a leader in the adoption and implementation of sustainable mobility initiatives.

• Next step: Portugal’s national investment plan for 2021-2030

  October 1, 2019
  The urban population in Portugal is expected to increase from around 65 per cent in 2018 to 80 per cent in 2050.

• Emission-free Public Transport Initiatives in Oslo and Akershus: Transitioning to a greener fleet

  September 1, 2019
  The transport sector accounts for nearly 65 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in Oslo, of which public transport accounts for 4 per cent. Despite public transport’s small share of total emissions, transitioning to a zero-emission network is expected to have a significant effect on the overall air quality of the city, especially in the densely populated regions.

• Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2040: Policies shaping the land transport system

  August 1, 2019
  On May 25, 2019, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) released the Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2040. The plan outlines Singapore’s long-term goal to improve its land transport system by 2040.

• Project Ireland 2040: An all-encompassing plan to spur transit development

  July 1, 2019
  The Government of Ireland unveiled Project Ireland 2040 in February 2018 to guide Ireland’s economic development over the next two decades.

• Dubai’s Autonomous Vehicle Strategy: New rules introduced to regulate testing

  June 1, 2019
  In April 2019, a new resolution to regulate autonomous vehicle (AV) testing in Dubai was issued, making the emirate the first in the region to issue such as resolution.

• Investment Push: GBP 39 billion plan to improve rail infrastructure across northern England

  May 1, 2019
  In February 2019, the GBP70 billion Strategic Transport Plan (STP) and Investment Programme of Transport for North (TfN) was approved.

• RATP 2025 Bus Plan: 3,700 buses to be replaced by 2025

  April 1, 2019
  In 2014, RATP announced plans to deploy a 100 per cent eco-friendly fleet by 2025 in the Île-de France (Paris region) to reduce the carbon footprint by 50 per cent.

• More MARTA Atlanta programme: Much-needed reform or misguided attempt to reinvigorate Atlanta’s mass transit?

  March 1, 2019
  In October 2018, MARTA approved the More MARTA Atlanta programme, the largest investment in the region’s mass transit in four decades.